PomPolo

I'm knocking around with you fella. Its like that joke that got told on BGT about a guy walking into a bank and the cashier could only give him 3 quid from his account, and there was a homeless guy outside the bank and said to him "mate can you lend me 50 pence to get something to eat" and he said "no worries I'm coming with you if you can eat for that" (the guy on BGT told it much better than me 🤣)

Hi @howerde you could be me by the sound of things 🙂 Definitely live Rural in Sakon Nakhon, although stopped going to the bars hasn't stopped me buying a few beers to drink in the house! My only hobbies at the moment are electronics and microcontroller programming which doesn't really get me out that much, the misses has a farm here and most of her family do also so do get out and about a bit on that, miss my buddies a bit in the city but do get back every now and again. Very true though on the boredom in rural locations I think it is more down to who you can communicate with also, my Thai is reasonable but not fluent so limits who I can have a proper conversation with. My main hobby the last year has been building the house so that has kept me busy and given where I live probably one of the less expensive areas of Thailand to build a house but I have well 'westernised' it 🙂 my toilet is probably bigger than any condo I have ever lived in and plenty of room in the bedroom for office desk and my wall mounted 55" TV, super-fast Fibre, Isan hes definitely progressed since I got married to my first wife (I know I never learn) here in 2010 🙂

All good chaps, all input appreciated! Only been back in the country the last couple of years so forgot everything I knew about Thailand from 2016 which isn't a bad thing I was definitely a bit dafter back in those days 🙂

I'm guessing ph is phone @Ben Zioner and @KhunLA as opposed to acidity 🙂 all good on that one, only 300 per month for AIS definitely one of my lower bills 🙂

Slightly off-topic as the OP but I think AN is great especially for subjects like this where someone genuinely does need advice, I have used the immigration forum before also. I joined back in 2016 when it was formerly Thaivisa and I was living in Thailand for a while since then have lived different parts of the world until I more recently decided I wanted to settle in Thailand for good hence my topic post.

Top advice everyone, and definitely given me a few things to think about. Appreciate nobody giving me any overly sarcastic comments also, just looking for genuine advice from xpats that have lived in the country much longer than me.

Yes @BritManToo @SiSePuede419 hahaha my oldies in the UK are still knocking about done well for themselves and healthy so I cant count on any inheritance just yet! 🙂 (joking aside I hope they are around longer than me which is a probability!) My house is not a 1500B/Month apartment 5 beds 2 bath and the misses oldies living with us which I need to budget for also 🙂

For sure thanks @Lacessit that is pretty much exactly what I am aiming at with pension savings etc, and a little bit extra with my 25% lump sum from the private pension when I am 57

Thanks @bkk6060 as mentioned usually travel but generally only to one of the resorts for a week at a time a couple of times a year with the misses so the bar surfing there is minimised for me 🙂 Have an occasional game of golf with my friends but 1000 baht or so usually covers that with a few cans of singha included! Health insurance is a difficult one I have app[lied but pre-existing conditions can't get so always keep a little aside for that from my general savings. We own a car and motorbike (Honda wave!) so that doesn't break the bank 🙂 My initial calculations are sort of at the amount you mentioned 50k-100k (150k max possibly with some tighter months in the event of travel or unexpected expenditure medical etc) a month should be comfortable from my private pension and savings.

Ouch! Already own a house and car so hopefully should reduce the expenses a little bit. Married but no kids, only usually travel a week at a time and usually only in Thailand to one of the resorts maybe.

Thanks for the input guys all very sensible advice. The medical insurance one is an issue with me as fairly recently had a couple of serious health issues that would probably prevent me getting medical insurance. I have done a lot of the calculations and should still have savings by that point, also the state pension should kick in about 10 years after that. Me and the misses like to travel a bit also so need to keep a bit set aside for that also along with a chunk in the hopefully unlikely even of any repetition of previous medical issues. Going to get 25% of my private pension fund at 57 which also should be a good chunk then a reasonable monthly payment after that. I keep on reviewing my budget obviously as over the years circumstances change etc. I am certainly a lot more aware of it than when I was a bit younger and more carefree but its bye bye to those bahts now 🙂 Thanks again all, I think there is definitely some budgeting I can do to ensure it will be a comfortable amount of money especially after chunk of the savings went building the house.

Hello all, just wondered peoples thoughts were on this. I currently have a retirement visa in Thailand down to my savings and age however I can't touch my personal pension until I am 57 years old. I live in the north of Thailand and my wife and I have just built a house so rent would not be an issue. I am not a huge drinker but will meet up with friends every now and again but don't hit the bars every day. I am sure similar questions have been asked before I won't go into full details of the value of my personal pension but I think it is reasonable. At a retirement age of 57 in my circumstances people with more experience of Thailand than myself what would you recommend/suggest as a minimum retirement fund and not working, I understand questions like this are subjective and relative depending on point of view and circumstance but just looking for peoples point of view?

Not sure what the point was in blurring his eyes if anyone has met him would be easy to recognise just looks like he has a pair of sunglasses on

I can spell the word hypocrite ok you have been giving me hassle about my opinion the bishop getting involved in politics and you said the same thing way before my first post!!! What's happening you just like arguing? @madone

That's better happy again 🙂

Take a chill pill fella I always think there should be an element of humour on these forums rather than being so serious all the time x

I think you understood I have dyslexia your statement wasn't very woke 😉

Rough sex?

I wouldn't go as far as to say she is a guru but she does have a common sense approach to woke'ism' Anyways that lesbian bishop was not just eluding to lgbt she also had opinions on immigration what does she want to be a bishop or senator needs to make her mind up

Humanity is fine but other than saying biologically there are 2 sexes male and female what else is there to complain about? Nobody loses any rights a biological male gets male rights a biological female female rights. JK Rowling agrees. To keep the conversation towards Thailand, Thailand only put the birth gender on passports despite its acceptance of transgender people. Certainly something that should not be politically dealt with by a religious leader.

Beat me to it on this what is a religious Church leader doing getting involved on politics on personal matters directed at the leader of the free world, shouldn't be allowed to wear the cloth.

........something (not a go pro)

Very true, and a recent incident with the Swiss man and his misses having a barney in their truck recorded by someone sparking an incorrect rumour of a firearm being involved which was only proved wrong after the person who recorded it stuck it all over the internet.

And we all know how successful that is generally.

Since moving out to Sakhon Nakhon I am frequenting the bars a lot less these days also 🙂 If you live in the Udon Thani or Sakhon Nakhon area and haven't been I highly recommend this one - See Stars and Forest - Sawang Daen Ding. It is a beautiful hotel resort with a centre piece of an Airbus cafe, top class restaurants, plenty of onsite activities for adults and kids. 5* top class and inexpensive in comparison of similar quality hotels near the resorts. A hidden gem in the North East - we love it! See Stars and Forest - Sawang Daen Ding https://www.facebook.com/seesstarsandforest/